CLERMONT, Ind. -
Notes from final, round 5 qualifying in Pro Stock at the 46th annual U.S. Nationals
listing lane, driver name, elapsed time/top speed this round, position in order
following run, best prior elapsed time/speed, and position in order prior to run:

7:11 PM This could prove interesting. The sun is low in the sky,
behind clouds, and the air is cooling. We could see wholesale changes. Then
again, we could see a session like the final truck session, the only changes at the
bottom of the field. Left Lane: Bob Benza Runs 7.124/193.60, Now #29; Best prior run:
7.082/194.24, Was #29
Right Lane: Tom Hammonds Runs 7.051/194.77, Now #21; Best prior run:
7.062/194.55, Was #23

The mark these drivers are shooting at is V. Gaines' 7.033. Left Lane: Rickie Smith Runs 7.011/195.39, Now #10; Best prior run:
7.010/195.79, Was #10
Right Lane: Scott Geoffrion Runs 7.055/194.46, Now #23; Best prior run:
7.066/194.80, Was #26

Smith comes within 0.001 seconds of repeating his best ET, while
Geoffrion comes up short of the field. Left Lane: Tom Martino Runs 7.010/195.85, Now #10; Best prior run:
7.024/195.90, Was #15
Right Lane: Bill Shorts Runs 10.870/120.55, Now #37; Best prior run:
8.414/158.22, Was #37

Martino moves up the ladder with a nice pass in the favored left lane.
Shorts launches, has traction problems, and shuts it off. Left Lane: V. Gaines Runs 7.054/194.55, Now #16; Best prior run:
7.033/194.86, Was #16
Right Lane: Don Beverley Runs 7.141/193.38, Now #32; Best prior run:
7.101/193.74, Was #32

Gaines' car was fishtailing slightly for the first part of the
run. Left Lane: Jim Yates Runs 7.020/195.65, Now #15; Best prior run:
7.063/195.28, Was #25
Right Lane: Robert Patrick Runs 7.065/194.32, Now #26; Best prior run:
7.063/194.21, Was #26

Yates finds the combination and bumps Gaines. Now the bump is Jeg
Coughlin's 7.020, with a slower speed than Yates. Left Lane: Kenny Koretsky Runs 7.034/194.35, Now #18; Best prior run:
7.097/193.96, Was #31
Right Lane: Roger Jenkins Runs 7.090/194.02, Now #20; Best prior run:
7.037/194.72, Was #19

Yes, it is possible to run in the sixes this evening - especially if
you are Warren Johnson. Left Lane: Hurley Blakeney Runs 7.079/194.41, Now #29; Best prior run:
7.077/194.18, Was #29
Right Lane: Jeg Coughlin Runs 8.075/129.83, Now #16; Best prior run:
7.020/195.59, Was #16

Jeg stays on the bubble... Left Lane: Larry Morgan Runs 7.092/193.99, Now #31; Best prior run:
7.096/194.97, Was #31
Right Lane: George Marnell Runs 7.041/194.44, Now #13; Best prior run:
7.015/195.25, Was #13

Left Lane: Kurt Johnson Runs 7.000/197.57, Now #3; Best prior run:
6.986/197.39, Was #3
Right Lane: John Nobile Runs 7.061/195.34, Now #19; Best prior run:
7.036/195.28, Was #19

Nope. Gillig had a 1.03 60-foot time, but once again his top half just
isn't strong enough. Left Lane: Darrell Alderman Runs 7.008/195.22, Now #9; Best prior run:
7.008/195.73, Was #9
Right Lane: Ron Krisher Runs 7.037/195.51, Now #2; Best prior run:
6.982/196.76, Was #2